Leslie Sanders and Susan Amos share a common bond no mother ever wants to bear -- they both lost a young son to the war on terrorism.

Army Spc. Gregory Sanders, of Hobart, was 19 when he was killed in a sniper shooting in Iraq on March 24, 2003.

Army Pfc. John Amos II, of Valparaiso, was 22 when an improvised explosive device hit his military vehicle on April 4, 2004, killing him.

More than a decade later, the moms want to make sure their sons and all the others from Indiana, including 19 others from Northwest Indiana, who made the ultimate sacrifice are never forgotten. To that end, they were instrumental in bringing Remembering Our Fallen, a touring photo display to Hobart and Valparaiso.

A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday at the Hobart display, with comments from Sanders and Mayor Brian Snedecor.

"It's simple, but poignant," Sanders said Friday morning as she and her daughter, Clare, watched the display being escorted to the Police/Court/Community building by Hobart police and the Indiana Patriot Guard and welcomed by members of the Hobart VFW Post 5365.

"Our goal is to let each soldier's name be said and that they not be forgotten," Sanders said.

"This display is special. It has every soldier killed in the war since Sept. 11, 2001. You can see the impact the war has had on the state itself and they can all be remembered as a group," Amos said.

The display is the brainchild of a couple from Nebraska, who are putting together exhibits for each state. With the American flag as a backdrop, it features a series of posters, with two photos of two fallen soldiers on each poster. Post-its with comments from family members and even complete strangers are placed next to the photos.

Many say how much the soldier is missed. The one next to Sgt. Jeannette Winters, of Gary, points out she was Indiana's first fallen soldier, killed in a plane crash on Jan. 9, 2002, at age 25.

The photo display is free to the public, but $800 needs to be raised to bring it to each location. In both Hobart and Valparaiso, that was an easy task.

"All I had to do was make one phone call. I raised the money in one day," said Sanders.

Amos said she had approached American Legion Post 94 in Valparaiso about having the exhibit there and was in the process of raising the money when she learned that the money had already been collected.

Post 94 Commander Dick Stamper said he raised the money himself.

"It took about 20 minutes. I got all the support I needed," Stamper said, adding the post received a $100 discount on the cost.

He said the exhibit is free, but there will be a collection box for people who would like to donate to the exhibit.

He said there also would be a memorial service in Valparaiso, but details were pending.

Amos said she and her daughter and grandchildren went to see the exhibit in Indianapolis, where they attached Post-its with pictures the grandchildren made and comments. She said she's really excited to have the display make its way to Valparaiso.

"My daughter wants to get it to Lake County, too, but she needs to raise the money first," Amos said.

She said her daughter lives in Griffith, which was home to another soldier in the display, Sgt. Duane Rios.

Sanders said working to bring the exhibit to her hometown has been part of the healing process for her.

"Overall I'm doing fine, but a part of my heart is gone. You never get over the loss," Sanders said. "I still cry. I miss him."

Sanders said she's been fortunate to live in Hobart, where she's received a lot of support from people who she said, like herself, won't let her son be forgotten.

But, Sanders said, not all the other families have received the same degree of support, and as time goes on, you hear less and less about those soldiers who have died and are continuing to die in the Mideast.

"I hope this will bring them some healing, will show them that people do care," Sanders said.

Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

If you go:

Hobart:

What: Remembering Our Fallen in Indiana touring photo display of the more than 150 Indiana soldiers who died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars since Sept. 11, 2001, including 21 from Northwest Indiana.

When: Available for viewing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 23, with a memorial service at noon Saturday

Where: Police/Court/Community building, 705 E. 4th St., Hobart

Cost: Free

Valparaiso:

When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 23-30; details of memorial service to be announced

Where: American Legion Post 94, 4 Monroe St., Valparaiso

Cost: Free, but donations to be forwarded to exhibit organizers will be accepted.